From the article: The Difference Between English and Western Riding Styles
Do you ride English or western? Do you prefer English or western style riding and why? What made you choose the way you ride? (And don't say one is easier than the other, because that is not true! It's hard work to become proficient in any riding style.) What influenced you to try one over the other. Or do you ride both English and western. What would you advise a beginner who is trying to choose whether to ride English or western. Share Your Advice
Western
- I really like western, it is more realaxed than English in my opinion. English you can only do Jumping, and Dressage, but in Western you can do barrels, poles, Texas flag, trail, pleasure, walk Trot, halter, showmanship, horsemanship, roping, reining, and lots more. But do whatever you feel more comfortable doing. :)
- —Guest Horse gal
english
- I ride english going to learn western.When riding english at the trot you have to learn to post posting is a motion when you go up and down in the saddle so its not so bumpy and helps the horse stay balanced!When you move to western from english and you learned to trot english with the post you can still post in western usually they incourage it.-Victoria
- —Guest victoria
Western all the way!
- Personally I like western tons better! I'm a barrel racer and gamer and i LOVE what I do, western is more free and fun and English is more proper, I tried English once and I didn't like it and my horse didn't like it either. I mean don't think that I'm trash talking English riders and stuff, some of my friends ride English and they're really nice and like what they do but Western riding has so much more stuff to do and personally I love it 101% better that English :) you can ride western as a beginner advanced expert or any other level and still have tons of stuff to do and you will never get bored of it I PROMISE you! :). Go western cowgirls!!!!!!!! :D
- —Guest Izzy
!!Read !!
- I started put riding western and I think that it is great for starters and I have been riding for about 8 years!! Western has always been my go to and now I am finally starting to open my mine to english and I don't know why but it is harder to me but I am sure I will get used to it!!! Thanks RIDE ON
- —Guest
Suggestion: English and then Western
- I would say that either would be okay. I suggest english for starters, and then try western once you get the hang of it. That is what I did and it worked out great for me! In my opinion, english is great for learning the basics and getting the skills down. Western is really fun once you get the hang of riding. It is still perfectly fine if you do it the other way around, too. One thing though, do not just try one, you might miss out on a lot of opportunities. Western and english are just two different ways to approach the same goal, riding! Honestly, I couldn't pick between one or the other!
- —Guest Maggie
Personaly I say english
- i think english would be best to start with because i have found that it gives you then balance and the flexibility to change your mind later. I have tried both but for some reason i find that i have more control in an englsh saddle; but it is realy up to you!
- —Guest Fishy
Western
- I'm taking lessons for western right now, but I would like to try english. But right now my trainer just asked me if I wanted to try barrel racing or reining and I don't know what to chose. So that's all I've got to say.
- —Guest guest M.A.R
Do what you prefer!
- I started out doing English, and I admit, I liked jumping. I did it for about 3 years, then I switched to Western. I've been doing it for about 2 years. I personally prefer Western, but I still like English. I wouldn't say English is harder, because its not. Nor is Western. People who say you have to have better balance in English, you don't. It takes the same amount fo balance in Western. I've had many sitations in Western where if I didn't have good balance, I would've fallen off. And people say that you could just grab the horn in Western, you really shouldn't, because it throws you off balance evn more, making you lean forward. The English equivilant to the horn is the mane and reins. You could grab the mane, or since the reins are tight (even though you shouldn't do this) balance with the reins. I prefer Western but that is a matter of my opinion. Neither is better or harder. Equal in every way :)
- —Guest Newosj
English..XC... dressage.. eventing..??
- I have ridden both english and western. I rode from age 9-13 working on basic horsemanship. My father passed just around my 14th birthday and i stopped riding, basketball, and every other competitive sport. I think that a lot of western riders look at the english world as snobby. It can be, but that is most likely going to be int he Hunter/Jumper shows... However, Cross country, stadium jumping, dressage, and combined training are great ways to learn how to ride a horse and create bonds. I enjoy pleasure riding in western saddles, but i compete in a collegiate. I have been out of the riding world for over 10 years and I will say it is a bit overwhelming at first and confidence is important in that aspect. I don't know why western/english riders need to debate the riding styles! If you love to ride... RIDE!
- —squeezeablesoftly
Maybe there's a happy medium...
- I am currently learning English because I found a great instructor but would love to do Western eventually. I am finding the balance and leg-work tricky but I think it will be good in the long run. I'm moving to Australia next year so I'm excited to try out an Australian saddle! It's like halfway between western and english.
- —Guest Lain
what suits you (:
- I rode english for a few years and then switched to western. Personally I like English better, people say you "beat up the horse", but its really nothing like you. I feel your more relaxed and its a lot of fun, but I can see why people like English better, with the jumping and all (:
- —Guest Mia
Western, Baby!
- I think english is all proper and junk, posture means everything, when western is the thrill of the ride and the love of the horse! :)
- —Guest Guest
Mmh...
- I actually do both. But i love english more than western, cuz i never found a sport i really liked in western, i mean yeah i started up in western, but english is were i shine. Thats just my opinion but everyone in my parts does western i swear, there is like no english people around me, so i go for a hack and people are looking at me like im a freak and im like stop it. well so yeah english is my thing and i wouldnt give it up for nothing cuz im tired of western stuff...
- —Guest :)
Both
- I ride both, as well as bareback. I personally like western better, however I LOVE jumping so I usually end up picking English when riding. Whatever you feel more comfortable is what you should pick. It is easier to stay in the western saddle in my opinion. If my horse is being naughty like always (xD) I'll usually do western.
- —Guest Michaela
just enjoy!
- It doesn't matter which style you choose if your riding because you enjoy the companionship of your horse. A horse can become your best friend if you give it a chance. For the person with the thorough bred a horse can carry like 25 to 30% of it's own weight on its back without hurting it. just ride to enjoy life and you will be amazed at the awesome people you will meet!
- —Guest tim
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